[Question #6936] Risk from oral sex with condom?

61 months ago

Hello,

A few years ago an escort girl performed just oral sex on me with condom. At that time I was not very aware of STIs and I did not know they could be passed on orally. So I did not purposely check if she had any symptoms on her mouth. But recently I have been very worried as although I do not remember having noticed any at that time, what if she had a sign? So if that was the case, was I at risk knowing she put a condom on me?

Thank you for your time and answer.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

61 months ago

Welcome to our forum. Thanks for your question and for your confidence in our service. The short answer to your question is that there is no need for concern regarding having acquired any STI from receipt of condom protected oral sex two years ago. Having given you the summary, let me now provide you with the reasons I say this with confidence.

1. Most people, and even most escorts, do not have STI’s.

2. When persons have oral STI’s such as gonorrhea, transmission does not occur in the majority of exposures, even exposures which are unprotected.

3. Condoms work. With a condom is used throughout a sexual encounter it reduces the risk of acquiring an STI more than 99%.

4. In the unlikely circumstance that you had acquired an STI, you must probably would have developed symptoms. You did not.

5. Although STI’s can occasionally be asymptomatic, untreated STI’s typically resolve over a few weeks or months. Certainly heard you had an STI it would have resolved by now two years after the event.

Putting all of these facts together, I am confident that you did not acquire and STI from the encounter you describe. There is no medical or scientific reasons related to that encounter for you to seek testing at this time. I would not worry. I hope that this comment is helpful to you and reassuring. EWH

---

61 months ago

Thank you doctor Hook for your response.

In my post I referred to STIs and that was the subject of your reassuring response thank you for that, but in fact I am also worried about STDs. I do not know if both terms could be used interchangeably or if there is a difference, so could you please tell me if the same applies for STDs, or am I at risk for having contracted one?

Edward W. Hook M.D.

61 months ago

Thanks for your follow-up. The term STD (sexually transmitted DISEASE) is out of date because some persons can have asymptomatic infections, i.e. no disease. The preferred and interchangeable term in now sexually transmitted INFECTION (STI). I would urge you not to worry that you might have been infected by the encounter you described in your question. Sorry for the confusion. EWH
---

61 months ago

Thank you Dr. Still I have a doubt if what you said applies specifically to oral herpes infecting genitals, please allow me to ask you the following questions :

1. Are escorts more likely to have oral herpes than other people or is there no difference? For information I live in Europe.

2. In the likelihood that she had an outbreak that day, was I safe by the use of condom or was I at risk of being infected?

Thanks a lot.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

61 months ago

I have to start this reply with your assumption that oral HSV-2 occurs sufficiently commonly and is transmitted sufficiently often as to puyt you at meaningful risk for your current symptoms and concerns being related to HSV-1. These assumptions are incorrect. Oral HSV-2 is very, very rare even in the highest risk groups and among experts none of us has seen cases of HSV-2 arising from receipt of oral sex. HSV-1 is not a consideration since you already have had could sores which is a very strong indicator that you have HSV-1 and therefore are not vulnerable to having gotten genital HSV-1.

1. Escorts are NOT more likely to have oral HSV-2 than others. As I said above, it is INCREDIBLY rare.

2. Even is she had an outbreak on the day of your encounter, the condom would be productive.

I hope this final comments are helpful. There really is no reason to be worrying about having acquired HSV-2 from the encounter you describe. EWH

---

61 months ago

Thank you doctor. Just one quick reply if you may, as I am sure I do not have oral HSV-1 (never had sores nor any one in my relatives has herpes), am I at risk of having gotten genital HSV-1? And in case she had an oral HSV-1 outbreak, does condom give good protection from getting genital HSV-1 as well?